In 1999 Hippe became Editor-in-Chief of Økonomisk Rapport (ØR).[13] Hippe openly supported the Labour PartyPrime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg from mid 2000 in Stoltenberg's first term (17 March 2000 to 19 October 2001). Hippe believed the government needed to spend more money from the Norwegian oil fund, saying: "The greatest paradox today is that the government refuses to investigate what it will mean to buy goods and services abroad in fear that someone will come up with the idea of spending more money than we do today. The government plays with the lives of the sick and aggravates children's education because of the dogma that oil money cannot be used".[14] Hippe left his position as Editor-in-Chief in 2002 because the new owners did not share the same future plans for the magazine as he did.[15] He was succeeded by Joachim Bamrud.[16] Six months after Hippe left a number of journalists and most of the old leadership staff had also left the magazine.[17]